


31 Days of MariChat May

by spiritvine



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Marichat, Miraculous Ladybug - Freeform, WitchAU, marichatmay, marichatmay2020, ml fanfic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-01
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:33:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23954635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spiritvine/pseuds/spiritvine
Summary: Here, I will [try to] post daily the prompts for MariChat May 2020! I hope you like my spin on each of the chapters!
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 6
Kudos: 33





	1. Witch AU: "Only for a Kiss"

**Author's Note:**

> so i made my own twist on this, and now marinette isn't the witch, it's chat and i hope you all like it!
> 
> i really channeled ursula to help me write chat noir. there are some quotes from her in here. 
> 
> also i really hope you like it cause i worked really hard and i will try to get tomorrows prompt up ASAP!!

Cloak dragging behind her, Marinette scurried through the woods, trying her best to never look back. The dark woods seemed to close in on her and whisper to each other as she stared straight ahead. She pulled her robes closer together and glanced around nervously. 

She hadn’t wanted to do this, but this was the last resort for her family. Her parent’s business was crumbling and her mother was sick. Her father was completely overworking himself to continue to provide food and medication for her maman. She could see it in his eyes at the end of the day when he came up from the bakery, the tiredness, the stress. She hated seeing both of her parents in such a state. She wanted to do everything she could to help, but with her school work, and taking care of her mother made it hard to help in the bakery. 

Marinette shook her head, pushing the stressful thoughts away. She pulled the map out of her bag and looked for the landmark that was the Dark Woods. The map had already helped her find the right path, but her sense of direction dissipated the moment she stepped foot into the grove. As she walked along, she couldn’t help but feel as if she was being followed. These woods were known to be filled with fantastical creatures; no one in the right state of mind would enter them unless they had a death wish.

Even though there hadn’t been any sightings in decades, it was known throughout her village that these woods were infested with all types of witches with all types of magic. There was only one witch she was looking for and with her luck, it just happened to be the most feared. Chat Noire. The witch who had the power to curse anyone who crossed her path with bad luck. But she was the only witch with enough power to cure her mother and give her father strength through these hard times. That was worth being cursed for eternity. 

She rolled up the map after assuring herself that she was going the right way but froze when she heard something moving in a bush. She stood up straight, terrified, but ready to stand her ground. With a whimper, Marinette walked towards the rustling bush, preparing to strike at the creature causing the disruption. She reached towards the bush, but stumbled backwards onto the floor as something small and black came bounding out of it. 

She tightly shut her eyes, expecting to be hit, but when she felt nothing she slowly opened her eyes. She looked around and didn’t see any evidence that there was anything that bounded out of the bush. She stood up and brushed off her cloak, curious to know what she thought she saw. 

But the very next moment she squealed as she felt something small push at her ankle. She jumped but then found herself looking into the green eyes of an _adorable_ black cat. 

With wide eyes she knelt down. “What are you doing here, kitty?”

The cat merely blinked slowly at her and rubbed his head on her hand. She giggled and obliged, petting the cat and listening to his purrs. “I don’t think this is a very nice place for a cute little kitty to be roaming around, huh?” She pulled out her map and set it on the floor. Pointing at her destination she jokingly asked, “Do you think you could take me here?”

The cat’s head looked down on the paper, eyes narrowed. He put his paw on the paper and looked up at her. Then turned away walking right back into the woods. 

Marinette frowned. That was strange. She picked up her things to continue on her journey when the cat suddenly appeared again, meowing insistently. 

It was as if the cat wanted her to _follow_ him. The map showed nothing about going through the woods, but what if the little cat somehow knew where she needed to go?

She looked warily at the cat. “Now, I hope you aren’t trying to trick me.” 

He simply meowed again. 

Marinette sighed and shook her head. This could rather be a good decision or a fatal one. She had no idea what could be in those woods, but she also wasn’t exactly sure how reliable the map she had was. 

She rolled her eyes. She didn’t really have any other choices, and no matter how strange this was, she didn’t have many other leads. 

The cat turned around, and she shouldered her bag and stepped into the vast darkness. 

»»——————-««

Now _this_ didn’t happen very often. In fact, it hadn’t happened in years. He was out taking a stroll near the path that led to the villages beyond the wood. The plants placed along that path provided the necessary ingredients for his medicines. 

He was surprised when instead of silent wanderings, he came across a _girl_! He hadn’t seen a villager since he was a child. And even that was from afar. 

He watched her timidly walk down the path and smirked (as good of a smirk he could manage as a cat). He jumped into the bush ready to scare the girl, but managed to draw her attention from the racket. He silently cursed as the girl started making her way towards his revealed hiding spot.

He was surprised she had the confidence to face what was an unknown creature to her. Watching her stretched out hand, he leapt out of the bush and zoomed away and she fell backwards. 

He walked over while she was still unaware of him, and pushed his head across her ankle. The satisfaction of her yelp would’ve made him cackle if he was in his human form. 

When he saw her face, he was mildly surprised at what a beautiful one she had. He shook his head and prompted her to pet him. He watched as she pulled out a crumpled paper and lay in on the floor in front of him. She pointed to a familiar black house and asked if he knew where it was. She was looking for his house? Didn’t the villagers think him dangerous?

He wondered what possible reason she had for coming into the Dark Woods, as every villager had avoided it since the trials. It couldn’t hurt to lead her there, right? This path was only going to lead her to trouble. That, and his curiosity was getting the best of him. 

He turned back toward the woods and promptly walked away from her. He turned and waited, seeing if she would follow. When it was clear that she was hesitant he walked back out into the shaded path and meowed loudly. 

The pretty girl frowned at him. “Now I hope you aren’t trying to trick me.”

He meowed as a response, gauging her reaction. He turned away again and was surprised to eventually hear her footsteps behind him. 

He took her on the fastest route to his cottage. He could tell she was weary of the sounds and rustles that came from around. She was quite brave to even be here, with all of the stories that were associated with the Dark Woods. 

When they reached his home, he turned to look at her and watched her face warp into surprise. 

“Well, aren’t you a smart kitty,” she said, moving to pet behind his ear. He leaned into her hand, but then she started to move towards the door. He jumped and ran around to the back of the cottage. He morphed back into his human form and beckoned his kwami into his pocket. 

“You know this is a really bad idea, right, Adrien?” Plagg glared. Adrien shushed him and told him to hide. His head snapped up as he heard her timid knock at the door. He hadn’t had any visitors in years, as everyone had become afraid of the unfortunate Chat Noir. 

He pulled the best booming voice he could summon and asked, “Who goes there?”

He saw her jump through the dark window. “O-oh, I apologize for the inconvenience, but my name is Marinette, and I c-came here for your help.”

She needed his help? A witch? He cracked open his door, trying to make himself look menacing. “And why would I help you, girl?”

She squinted at the outline of his figure before remembering that he was waiting for her reply. “Right! Sorry!” She looked sheepish. “Back in the village, there were always people talking about the witch, Chat Noire, and how powerful she was. I was hoping you would help me with-”

“Wait. What?” He pulled open the door and stepped over the threshold. “What do you mean ‘she?’”

She gaped up at Adrien, clearly dumbfounded. “You… Wi… I thought witches were girls!”

He glared down at her. Seethingly, he asked, “Have you ever met a witch?”

A blush spread on her cheeks. She shook her head, and shyly stared down at her feet. “I’m sorry, sir, I didn’t mean to offend. Please, I just needed help, you’re my last hope.”

His gaze finally shifted from the girl, Marinette. “Don’t you know what they say about me? I bring bad luck onto anyone who comes my way. Why would you risk that?”

Her head shot up, suddenly looking afraid. “Is it true? Are you going to curse me in return for your help?”

“I guess that’s what I do. It’s what I _live_ for.” He snorted. “Come in. I will do my best to help you.” He swiftly turned around and marched back inside. Not surprised this time to hear her footsteps and the closing of the door. 

»»——————-««

He led her to his chamber where he concocted his medicines. He gestured to a chair ridden with dust and cobwebs. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her discreetly brush off the dust and sit down. He started a fire under his cauldron in the center of the room, under his open skylight.

Ready and filled with water, he stirred the pot slowly. “So, what does the pretty village girl expect of the great Chat Noir?”

She stiffened and right back came her blush. “Right,” she said softly, “my mother is sick. We aren’t a wealthy family, and the medicines that she needs are very much out of our price range. My father works day and night to help her and work for food and her medicines. But…” she winced, “he hasn’t been doing very well. It completely exhausts him and I’ve tried to help but it isn’t enough!” She sniffled. “I just thought you could whip up a magic potion or something…”

He turned to look at her. “First of all, I make medicines, not potions. And, let me get this straight. You want help from an unfortunate witch to help a poor soul like yourself?”

She frowned. “Well, I hadn’t thought of it in that way, but yes! Even if it means I’ll be miserable for the rest of my life, it’s worth it to help my parents!” she said confidently. 

It was strange how willing she was to sacrifice herself. It didn’t sound like her parents knew about her little adventure. He didn’t know any villager to be so generous and selfless. Most girls wanted a beauty potion. Or a puppy. 

He drew himself away from the cauldron and began gathering the right contents for his medicine. In silence, he began to throw them in accordingly, stirring when necessary, until the liquid turned a light pink shade.

He went to fetch a bottle and poured a great amount into it. As he sealed it, he approached her. “Here. This will cure your mother from any common sickness that could have taken over her body and give enough strength to help your father.”

She reached out to grab it, but hesitated. “Thank you, but…”

“What is it?”

“Aren’t you going to give me an eternity of bad luck?”

He chuckled and stepped back. “No, but now that you mention it I think I do want something in return.” He could basically hear Plagg chastising him in his head. He set the elixir down and leaned towards her. “Hmm… what could you give me?”

She stammered. “I-I don’t have anything on me! If you n-need money I can get you money!”

“Oh, no. I think I know. In return for my good deed, you can give me a simple, precious kiss.”

Wow, if she wasn’t blushing before, she sure was now. “A kiss?! W-Why?”

“You got it, little lady. If you can’t pay the price, I’m afraid I won’t be able to help you and your parents.”

He could see the gears turning in her head. He turned to hide his smirk.

He heard her clear her throat. “Fine. If it is a kiss that you want, then it is a kiss you will get.”

He turned, a light blush heating his face. “W-wait, re-”

She leaned up on her tiptoes and pushed her lips onto his. It was quick, her lips were off of his within seconds. Dumbfounded, he gaped at her. 

She stepped away. “There.” He handed her the elixir and also handed her a new map. “Th-Thank you.”

Then, Marinette marched out of the cottage. He watched her from the window, her figure disappearing into the dark gloom.

»»——————-««

Marinette was _horrified_. 

Chat Noir turned out nothing like what she expected. This morning, she thought that she would walk out of these woods, ready to face her miserable life, but then he let her go for just a kiss?

The moment he stepped out of his cottage, she noticed his bright green eyes, and fair skin, and chiseled jaw. His blond hair slightly fell over his eyes and just, wow.

And the fact that he wanted a kiss! From her! Marinette, the simple village girl! Why would a powerful witch want that from her? This was so confusing…

When she had finally made it back onto the path, she remembered her parents. They were probably worried about her. With the vial stored safely in her bag, she broke out into a run. 

When she made it back to the village, Marinette burst through the bakery doors. “Papa! I’m back!”

“Marinette! What happened? Why are you all scratched up?”

She stopped and looked at her hands. They were scratches everywhere. She shook her head. “I have the medicine for Maman! Come on, let’s go!”

They ran up the stairs to her mother’s room. Her mother was sleeping peacefully until Marinette sat on the chair beside her bed. 

“Here, Maman, wake up! I have medicine for you.”

Her mother stirred, then weakly pushed herself into a sitting position. She took the vial from her daughter and after a sniff, she took a long drink. 

Marinette stared, terrified to whether it would work or not. Suddenly she saw the color rush back into her mother’s face. Her weak body now filled with strength. 

Marinette blubbered, relief flooding through her as she and her father hugged her mother. 

She whispered through her tears: “Thank you, Chat Noir.”

»»——————-««

Days later, Sabine was working in the bakery again, looking better than ever. Her father was feeling better, with his wife helping him again, and the stress of her sickness no longer looming over him. 

Marinette made her way into the room and was surprised to see her mother cut her off, and thrust a basket into her hands. “Maman! What’s this for?”

“Why, for Chat Noir, of course! I wanted to thank him for helping us!”

Marinette paled. “Y-You want me to take th-this to him? B-but I-”

“Now, Marinette, no need for that. Off you go, be back before dark.” Her mother smiled sweetly. Slowly, Marinette made her way outside, her mind racing at the thought of seeing him again. 

Back in the bakery, she missed the fist bump her parents shared.


	2. Bell: Some Jokes and a Poke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this is a little shorter than the last piece - sorry about that - but i think is suffices
> 
> as always, enjoy!

This was turning into a bad habit for Chat Noir, but he just couldn’t help himself. 

Visiting Marinette was an outlet for him, just as transforming into Chat Noir was for him a year ago. There was something about her that just made his nights better and had him look forward to their next visit. She was always there for him when he was having a bad day and always knew how to have a good time. 

And do not get him started on the food. The food she brought from the bakery was heavenly. 

This time, instead of a movie binge or a video game battle, Marinette and Chat Noir were at war. Chat Noir went too far this time. The moment the words, “Did you see what Lila-” came out of his mouth, he knew he shouldn’t have brought it up. He turned his head to face Marinette, but instead was smacked with a pillow.

Chat spluttered. “Did you- Did you just hit me with a pillow?!”

Marinette smirked. “No,” she said innocently. “What are you talking about?”

Chat Noir reached his hand on the pillow behind him, not trying to make it obvious of what he was doing. “I dunno, Marinette, I’m pretty sure a pillow was thrown at my face. And you and I are the only ones here so…” 

He grabbed hold off the pillow and hit her side. He ran down the stairs leading to her bed and stared up at her flabbergasted expression. Laughing, he managed to get out, “What happened, Marinette? Cat got your tongue?”

Head high, she marched down to meet him, pillow in hand. Stopping a few feet in front of him, she says in a low voice, “Do you really want to start this, Noir?

He winks, “You bet I do, Princess.”

That was all it took for Marinette to charge, non-stop smacking him with her pillow, laughing as she went. It took a moment for Chat Noir to strike back, trying to be serious and suppress his laughter. 

“You’ll never win! You’ve met your match, Mari, I’m the pillow fighting champion!”

Marinette dodged his coming blow, yelling as she ran to take shelter behind her mirror. She heard his footsteps coming closer and she took the chance to surprise him before he could strike first. She threw the pillow at his face, trying to run before he could reach her. 

He was too quick on his feet; he grabbed her as she squealed and threw her onto her chaise. As he was about to lunge for his pillow, to finish her off, she grabbed a hold of his tail and pulled him to the floor. She reached for her pillow and pushed it over his face. 

She laughed triumphantly as he sat, defeated. “Who’s the champion, Chat?”

He mumbled incoherently. She laughed and removed the pillow from his face. He turned to face her with a pout, “I can't believe I lost.”

She laughed triumphantly, and then moved to sit in front of him on the floor. “You just hadn’t met your match, yet!”

Without a second thought, she reached her hand forward to flick his bell. She expected a jingle, but what she didn’t anticipate was watching the very bell fall from its spot and tumble to the floor.

There was silence as the two teenagers started at the fallen bell. Marinette's eyes traveled from the bell to Chat Noir’s face. She giggled, and felt his eyes snap to hers. “Oops.”

“What do you mean oops?” he started longingly at his bell. “It’s _gone_. You broke it! Mari, how could you? Is that your trophy for defeating me?” He fell back, feigning an injury. 

She cackled. “Stop being so dramatic, Chat Noir. Come on, I’ll sow it back on for you.”

He cracked an eye open and watched her pull out a needle and thread. She gestured for him to lay down on the chaise as she picked up the bell and strung a needle through it. 

He forced a nervous face. “You won’t hurt me will you, Princess? You _are_ qualified to do this, right?”

She rolled her eyes. “Yes, Chat, now stop moving, so I can put this back on.”

She pulled her needle through the bell and began to reattach it to its former spot. It was silent in the beginning as Chat brainstormed possible jokes he could use to describe the situation. Before he could make any sound, she asked, “I have no idea what kind of material this is, but it sure is tough.”

A smirk grew on his face. She just provided her own trap. “Oh, I’m not sure, I think it must be _boyfriend_ material.”

She stopped the sowing and glared at his shit-eating grin. His jokes were usually bad, but he went too far. “You did not.”

“I did. Can’t you see? It fits _purr_ fectly!”

That was the final straw. Instead of threading the needle through another stitch, she poked him with it. Right under his collar bone. 

“Ouchie! Marinette! Why did you do that?” He pouted. “That wasn’t very nice.”

“You deserved it, you silly cat! You’re horrible puns do damage you know!”

He gasped. “Marinette, how could you say that?! My puns are pawsome!”

“Oh, shut up and let me finish sowing this back on,” she said, resuming her work. Within a few minutes, it was securely reattached to his suit. She helped him stand up, and gave his bell the flick, satisfied with the resounding ring it made. 

“ _Voila_ ,” she smiled. He walked towards her mirror, posing dramatically until she laughed. 

She walked up to her balcony, him following right behind her. Just before he jumped onto the rail he spun around, “Thank you, Mari. I appreciate the work you’ve done tonight,” then he swiftly took up her hand and laid a kiss to her knuckles. “But just so you know Princess, the bell would’ve come back the next time I transformed.”

He cackled at her gape, jumping off in the night and hearing her call, “Chat Noir! You stupid cat!”

She turned around, shaking her head at his antics with a small smile growing on her face.


	3. Mouse - So much more than a Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i based this chapter off of the movie 'cinderlla - a twist in time' with a little bit of my own twists! enjoy, i really liked this chapter and the next one should be up shortly!

This couldn’t be happening. It was like a dream that Marinette never wanted to wake up from and now she was back. Marinette whispered, “I-I don’t understand.” 

Her stepmother had forbidden her to go to the ball, but she had anyway. With some luck, her Fairy Godmother had shown up to save her, allowing her to go to the ball with a glorious dress. Even with curfew at midnight, the night went better than she had expected. A dance with the Prince? It was almost too good to be true. 

But was it real? The slipper had fit Chloe. Was this just some silly dream she had thought of while sleeping? 

Marinette stood up, gathering the remaining pieces of her glass slipper that her stepmother, Lady Bourgeois, had broken, the only evidence of the night she had just experienced. Looking into the glass, she imagined the dance. Her in a beautiful, sparkling gown, moving through the night with the masked prince, Chat Noir. Marinette sniffled. 

"Was it nothing more than a dream?” Marinette always dreamed that her life would be like a fairy tale. She stood up. Her tattered dress flowing at her feet. Just one magic night, a single dance, had turned her life into a storybook romance. If she were to try to forget it ever happened, she would live forever with a broken heart. 

Facing the stairs, Marinette saw Mullo and Tikki, her mice friends on the stairs. Mullo was crying on Marinette’s behalf as Tikki comforted her. “Don’t cry, Mullo! Princey knows that Mari was the one he danced with!” 

Marinette froze. Wide-eyed she turned to her little mice. “Yes, of course he does! Oh, if I just see him again, he’ll recognize me and everything will be alright!” She scooped them up, gently hugging them in excitement. 

Marinette burst out of the manor doors, Mullo and Tikki tucked safely away in her pocket, and ran down the steps to the path, headed straight towards the Prince’s castle. She found love in his arms the first time, now she had a chance to try again. If she couldn’t trust her heart to believe in that moment, how would she ever know? There was no way for her dreams to come true if she just waited. 

She bounded through the fields, hope in her heart for the life that was awaiting her. At the peak of the hill she stared, breathlessly, at the castle shining in all its glory. “I want so much more than a dream.” 

»»——————-««

Marinette sneaked to the servant’s entrance behind the castle. Peering over the corner, she saw many men carrying large stacks of cheese into the hall. Trying not to be suspicious, Marinette marched up to the cart of cheese and picked up one of the heavy mounds. She struggled to walk, but made her way to the man who looked strangely like a gorilla. He glared down at her, eyes narrowing. She pulled her sweetest smile, then he grunted and gestured for her to move on. 

She scurried into the hall, setting the cheese down quickly. Marinette walked towards the kitchen, but was at once stopped by the head maid, Nathalie. “And who are you? I know every maid in this castle and I don’t recognize you.”

Marinette blanched. She felt the mice jump out of her pocket and run towards the end of the room. “U-uh, I-I’m the…,” she stared at her friends, gesturing with her hands to go, “I’m the, uh, royal mouse catcher!”

Nathalie’s eyes narrowed. “Royal mouse catcher? I assure you, in all my years working here, I have ever, ever seen a single-,” A crash resounded from the kitchen as one of the cooks screeched: “Mouse!”

Nathalie spun around and ran into the kitchen, Marinette following quickly at her feet. The cooks were running around, trying to avoid the chaos the mice were causing. Nathalie took the matter into her own hand and lunged to capture Mullo. Mullo managed to evade her and ran to hide with Tikki. Nathalie stared, wide-eyed and turned to Marinette. She tucked a strand of hair back behind her ear. “You,” she huffed, “Go along and do your job.”

“Oh! Right. Of course, ma’am,” she curtsied and ran off to find the prince. 

»»——————-««

Chloe sat nervously, unsure for once in her life if she knew what she wanted. Her, Lila, and her mother sat anxiously, awaiting the prince’s arrival. 

“Now, now, Chloe,” her mother cooed, “Don’t you fret, we have a magic wand now. Nothing could possibly go wrong.”

Chloe swallowed. Of course. The prince would fall in love with her and everything would be okay. Nothing could go wrong.

Suddenly, the doors burst open and the masked prince from the night before bounded through. He looked straight at Chloe, and his smile faltered. “Ah, I apologize, ladies, I must have entered the wrong room.”

He turned to leave but her mother stopped him. “No, no, my Prince. You are not mistaken. This is my daughter, Chloe, the maiden with whom you danced at the ball.”

Face contorted, Chat Noir said to Chloe, “You fit the shoe?”

Chloe stiffened. She could feel her mother’s burning gaze on her, and so she nodded. “Yes, your highness. I am the maiden from the ball last night.”

Slowly, Chat Noir moved back. Clearly confused at the situation before him. He didn’t notice the white wand that was discreetly pointed at him, or the words said by Chloe’s mother. 

The prince’s eyes suddenly glazed over for a second. Then, as if shocked, they cleared up again. “Of course! I do remember you!” he ran forward, taking up her hand, “I apologize, I don’t know what came over me!”

Chloe was startled. She desperately looked to her mother for assistance, but was only given a nod towards the prince. She grimaced. She turned back to look at him, but instead found a ring held in front of her by the kneeling prince himself. 

“Lady Chloe. Would you do me the honor of marrying me?”

Chloe spluttered, but remembered her mother’s purpose. “Y-yes. Of course, my prince.”

He grinned, sliding the gorgeous ring onto her finger. He bounced up, “We will be wed as soon as possible. I will let my father know!” He pressed a kiss to her hand, and happily walked out of the room. 

A hand was laid to Chloe’s shoulder, “Good job, Chloe,” her mother sneered, “Now, let’s move along. There is much to prepare for.”

Lila followed her mother out the door, sticking her tongue out at her sister. Chloe stared down at the glass slipper, still unsure of how she felt about these events. 

»»——————-««

Out of breath, Marinette hurried down the hall. She turned to make sure she was not being followed, but was unsuspecting when she ran into a broad chest. “Ah! I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you!” She looked up, surprised to see the familiar green eyes of the Prince. 

“Oh, Chat Noir! It’s…,” she blushed, “It certainly is nice to see you again.”

Chat Noir tilted his head. “Um, sorry, but do I know you?”

Confusion flew over Marinette until she remembered what a big jokester he was. She laughed. “Oh, and I suppose you don’t remember our dance at the ball last night?”

“I apologize, but I really don’t know who you are. There was only one girl I danced with last night and that was Lady Chloe!”

Marinette’s face fell. “L-Lady Chloe?!”

“Yes! And I’m going to marry her! Tonight!”

Marinette couldn’t believe this. He didn’t dance with Chloe last night! “B-but, there must be some misunderstanding, I-”

She was cut off. “You there! Royal mouse catcher!” Nathalie was marching towards her, and grabbed a hold of her arm, “I need you to rid the castle of each and every mouse by tonight. The prince is getting married and the castle needs to be in top shape!” She stopped when she saw the prince, and quickly released Marinette’s arm. “Ah, Chat Noir! Did you need this servant?”

Chat Noir shook his head and smiled. “No, Nathalie, there was just some confusion.”

Nathalie nodded and proceeded to pull Marinette back down to the kitchen. Marinette longingly glanced back at the Prince, who was unaffected by the departure. She felt her heart break slightly. 

Nathalie pushed her into the room. “Now, I need you to rid the castle of these mice. I expect you to be done before the wedding starts.” She slammed the door and Marinette fell to the ground. Her heart felt empty from what she just experienced with the Prince. It was a dream. Nothing more, and she had hurt herself from hoping in the process. 

Her eyes filled with tears. There was nothing more she could do. The Prince didn’t love her, he loved Chloe. The night that had Marinette clinging to, in hope that it was real, was nothing more than her imagination. But yet, she couldn’t seem to let go. 

Her thoughts were interrupted by the scurrying of mice as they ran inside the room towards her. “Mari! Mari! You won’t believe it!”

“What happened? Is something wrong?”

“Stepmother has the magic wand! She put a spell on Princey! We saw her!” Mullo cried. 

“Magic? A spell?” It all made sense. The Prince didn’t remember her because of magic! She just had to make him remember! “Thank you, guys! We still have a chance!”

The mice dashed back into the wall, and Marinette ran to the room in which her stepmother and sisters resided. They were very loud, the echoes resounding throughout the whole castle, leading her straight to them. 

She heard a crash from inside, here stepmother’s voice calling out for a maid. Marinette tied a bonnet around her hair, lowering it to attempt to cover her face. She cleared her throat and knocked. The door was opened and she walked over the spilt water and glass shards. 

“You certainly came fast,” Lila sneered. 

Marinette coughed. “Yes, we are very good.”

She picked up a rag and slowly started to scrub the floor. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Mullo and Tikki crawling up the drawer, where the wand must have been placed.

Marinette could feel that she was being watched. Her stepmother's footsteps grew closer. “Well. This is a surprise, isn’t it, Marinette?”

She snatched the bonnet off of her head. Both Lila and Chloe gasped. “What are you doing here?”

“Why, clearly, girls, she came to stop us. She didn’t heed my warning, and now, here she is. Oh, what would the King say if he knew a dirty scullery maid had snuck into his own castle? He would banish you for good,” Lady Bourgeois sighed. “Such a pity.”

Lila cackled and ran to call the guards. Marinette glanced at Mullo who finally grabbed the wand and threw it up to Tikki. Marinette shouted, “Tikki, the wand! Now!”

The wand flew through the air and was caught by Marinette. She cast a spell towards Lila and Chloe to deter them as she ran out the door. Behind her, she heard Lady Bourgeois screaming for the guards. 

She sped down the hallway and made her way to the foyer. The guards were close behind. She shut the doors quickly and slid a sword, from one of the standing knights, through the handles. Immediately, they began to push on the door. 

She only had a few seconds to make a plan. She hurried down the steps, when the doors burst open, letting that guards run in, but also the Prince. He must have heard all the racket. She took her chance. “Break the spell! Make him remember!” She pointed the wand at him, but it was snatched out of her hand just before the spell was cast. 

The Prince ran towards her. “What’s going on?” he demanded. 

“Ah, just a petty thief snuck into our room,” Lady Bourgeois smiled, “Don’t worry, I’ll have her taken care of accordingly. We wouldn’t want the wedding to be disrupted because of her.”

Furiously, Marinette cried, “No! You have to remember! She cast a spell on you!” She reached out her hand, desperate to touch his. When their hands met, a wave of surprise flew over the Prince’s face. Before he could act on anything, Marinette was carried out of the room by the guards, “You’re under a spell, that’s why you don’t remember me!”

Chat Noir frowned. 

“Poor child. Obviously, out of her mind.” Lady Bourgeois linked her arm with his and strolled out of the room. 

»»——————-««

The Prince paced back and forth, behind his father’s fitting. “I just don’t understand it, Father. Last night, I felt something. But with Lady Chloe, it was nothing like before. And… then there was that girl.”

The King sighed. “What girl, Adrien? Remember, you are to marry Lady Chloe tonight. I agreed to your terms to marry the girl who fit the slipper, and you already found that girl.”

“Yes, Father, I know, but,” Adrien pinched the bridge of his nose. “Remember when you were telling me about Mother? How when your hands touched, you knew it was true love? Well, I think I found that, but it definitely wasn’t with Chloe. But when that maid touched my hand, it felt right.”

He zoned out, thinking about the turn of events, when he heard a small squeaking noise, coming from the fabric closet. He took a closer look, and was startled to find two mice jumping up and down, gesturing for him to come inside. He glanced at his father, who was completely distracted, then walked inside. 

“Hello? Uh, little mice?” He looked around, and found nothing. He scoffed, “Great, it’s official, I’ve lost my mind. First I’m confused about the ball, and now I’m talking to imaginary mice.”

He moved to leave the room, but stopped when the curtains were pulled open by two small bluebirds. The light shined, enhancing the mice who were calling, “Hey, Prince-Prince! Down here!”

Okay. Maybe not so imaginary. 

The two mice started blabbering. He sat down, trying to comprehend their words. “Hold on, I think I understand!” he paused, “Actually, I got nothing.”

The mice stopped and looked at each other. Then, the one in the little red dress gasped. It ran to the music box and winded it up. The ballerina on top began to spin, and the mouse with the blue dress jumped up and began to dance.

“You were dancing with a very pretty girl!”

The other mouse ran down some books, leaving a single shoe behind. “At midnight, she ran off! Well, her name was Mari, she’s the servant girl you met! She’s the one you want to marry! You can’t forget!” They began to dance together, “Mari was the maiden at the ball!”

Intrigued, Adrien leaned forward, “That can’t be. I danced with Chloe at the ball!”

“No, no! Princey only thinks that because of Mari’s stepmother!”

“Yeah, that mean old lady!” Mullo added. 

“With her magic wand, she cast a wicked spell, which is why poor Princey isn’t feeling well! You’ve forgotten Mari and the dance you shared that night at the ball!”

Adrien swallowed. “Woah, woah, woah, wait. You’re telling me I’m under a magic spell?”

The red dress mouse replied, “And here’s the worst part! When Mari tried to make things right and take a stand, the mean, old lady had her banished from the land! Now she’s on a ship, that will take her far away! So, it’s up to Princey-Prince to go and save the day!”

“Magic?” It all made sense. He looked at his hand; that’s why he felt something. Chloe wasn’t his true love. It was Mari. “I have to find her.” He bolted from the room. 

He ran past his father. “I have to go!”

“Go? What do you mean? But you’re about to be married!”

“But the talking mice say she’s the wrong girl!” He pulled open the doors and continued to sprint.

His father chased after him. “Son? Talking mice? This is ridiculous, Adrien! You agreed to marry the girl who fit the glass slipper! I was completely with you on that one!”

“Yes, Father, I will marry that girl. But Lady Chloe isn’t her. I just have to find the right one.”

“Adrien! I forbid you to take another step down these stairs!” his father shouted. Adrien stopped and turned around. He glanced towards the window and smiled. “Okay.”

He ran and leapt out of the window, hearing his father’s call behind him. He grabbed a hold of the vine that was cascading down the wall. Climbing down he called for his horse, Plagg. Plagg came running and Adrien jumped on, speeding towards the gates. 

His father called for him again. Adrien pulled Plagg to a stop. “Father you have to trust me.”

“Son, I do trust you. It’s the talking mice I’m worried about!”

Nathalie called for the gates to be closed, and Adrien took off again, just making it under. 

“I’ll send the troops off for him at once, your Majesty!”

“No need, Nathalie. Let him go.” The King shook his head with a small smile, recalling the crazy acts a person will do for love. 

»»——————-««

Marinette sat in a small wagon, hay laid on the floor, acting as a cushion under her. The guards stood in front of her, making sure that she could not escape. Her eyes were puffy from crying. She failed to make the Prince remember her. And now he loved Chloe and not her. 

A different guard approached her. “Time to go.” 

She pulled herself off the wagon, and slowly made her way to the ship. Before she walked up the board, she looked back at the castle. It still shone white in the light, reminding her of a lost adventure. Feeling defeated, she walked aboard the ship. 

The perfect fantasy that Marinette imagined was just a fairytale. Her hopes made her believe in something that could not be real. It was nothing more than a dream. 

The ship was unanchored and the sails were pulled loose. Marinette sat on a barrel, staring out to the sea, as the ship began to leave. 

A yell and a ripping sound pulled Marinette out of her reverie. She jumped up and spun around. A man with blonde hair was sliding down the mast, tearing it as his knife ran through it. He jumped down and looked around. He ran up the steps to reach Marinette.

The Prince came for her? Her heart thumped in her chest, once again rekindling the hope she had before. 

“Remember me?” he asked. 

She smiled tearily. He reached for her hand, holding it up linking their fingers together. As soon as they touched, a spark ran through, making her feel warm and loved. 

Marinette laughed and jumped into his arms. He spun her around, holding her tight. Once he released her, he knelt down. “Will you marry me, Mari?”

A blush spread on Marinette’s face. “Yes, but…,” she giggled, “it’s Marinette.”

He laughed. “Marinette!”

He alerted the crew to turn the ship around. He rode with Marinette back to the castle, elated at the twist of events. 

»»——————-««

When they arrived at the castle, it was made aware that the Bourgeois family fled, only leaving behind a single white wand. 

And, of course, Marinette and Prince Adrien were wed immediately. Marinette in the most gorgeous dress she had ever seen, one thanks to her Fairy Godmother. 

Adrien, who she formerly knew as Chat Noir, was happy he finally found his bride, his true love, just as his father had when he was young. 

Everything was perfect. Almost like a dream come true.


	4. Thief - If You Give a Cat a Cookie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> chat noir is a sneaky kitty...

It started, simply, with a cookie. 

A cookie Marinette left out on her balcony. It was a nice night, really warm so Marinette had decided to watch the sunset. She had brought snacks and a cozy blanket, but she had forgotten her phone back in the bakery, so she ran down to get it.

What she didn’t know was that there was a sneaky cat roaming around. And the aroma emitting from the sweet treats attracted him straight to her balcony. 

By the time she returned there was no sign of anyone lurking around her balcony. But what used to be five cookies, turned four, and it left a very confused Marinette. The only people that could reach her balcony were her, her parents, and Chat Noir. Though, her parents were working down in the bakery and she didn’t see Chat Noir anywhere. She would have to have a talk with Tikki later. Now it was just time to enjoy the sunset. 

»»——————-««

A few weeks later, another mysterious thing happened again. Marinette was knitting a new scarf for the upcoming winter season. Her mother called her down for dinner, so she took a well deserved break. She left her yarn basket out, not aware that a certain cat would sneak in to visit his princess. And of course he couldn’t help himself, and by the time Marinette returned, there was yarn _everywhere_. 

And there was one, single ball of yarn that went missing. Specifically, a green one. Marinette became suspicious. Chat Noir did visit her, but usually he would only drop by for a hello or because she invited him. 

It was a very suspicious situation. 

Marinette began to pay more attention to her belongings. Just as the cookie and the yarn disappeared, other things did too. 

Now, Marinette had a lot of blankets, most of them were ones that she made. They were stacked in a pile in her closet. One of her favorites was an old quilt, one of her first creations. One night she was feeling quite nostalgic, but when she went to grab her blanket, she realized that there wasn’t a blanket at all! Tikki was definitely not big enough to pull out a blanket. Her parents always asked if they needed something. Her mind strayed again to Chat Noir. She would have to interrogate him the next time he dropped in. 

She didn’t have to wait long because within two days, there he was, tapping on her window. He smiled when she looked over at him. When she opened her window, he flew in, and landed on her chaise. “Hey, Princess,” he teased, “whatcha up to?”

“Oh, nothing, Chat Noir,” she began to hide the new shirt she was sowing, “I’m just making a new quilt, because my old one seemed to have gone missing.”

Marinette saw him stiffen out of the corner of her eye. That was her first piece of evidence: an uncomfortable Chat Noir. He had no reason to be uncomfortable about the subject of the quilt if he had no part in the crime. 

She sighed. “I was also looking for some of my green yarn, but that has disappeared too! I was so sad.”

It was even more suspicious when Chat Noir started fidgeting with his fingers. “That’s real tragic, Princess.”

“ _You_ haven’t seen anyone, right, Chat Noir?” she looked over to him, trying to imitate Manon’s puppy eyes as best she could. “I was devastated that I started losing my things! And it all started with a cookie,” she pouted. 

“Haha, sorry, I haven't seen thieves lurking around here. If I did, I would’ve gladly gotten rid of them for you,” he didn’t look her in the eye. 

She sighed, maybe a little too dramatically. “Of course. You want to watch some movies?”

He perked up again. He nodded vigorously.

They made their way to her loft bed and snuggled into the warm blankets. Marinette pulled out her computer and began to pull up Disney+. Though, the thing about this was that Marinette was very forgetful when it came to passwords. She was also very clumsy when it came to typing, so she liked to be able to see what she typed, so she had the ‘hide’ feature off. She had no idea that the boy sitting next to her would take advantage of that. 

So, they watched their movies, having a great time together until Chat Noir had to leave, due to the time. They both had school the next day, so with a salute, he bounded back home.

The next day was long and busy. The mountain of homework assigned by her teachers along with the help her parents need in the bakery exhausted Marinette. 

By the end of the day, she was finally free from her work. It was still a reasonable hour, so she didn’t have to go to sleep quite yet. She opened up her computer, eager to rest while she watched a movie, but instead of the first thing on her recently watched being Tangled, it was Aristocats. She couldn’t recall ever watching that. 

Her mind went right to Chat Noir. That mangy cat! Just after her interrogation him about stealing her stuff, he goes and he hijacks her account! She pursed her lips. It was time for some payback. 

Though she had been working all day, she was already at her desk formulating her plan. She smirked, Chat Noir would pay for taking her things. 

Tomorrow was a Friday, and Chat usually made an appearance the day before the weekend. She would place a stool in the center of the room and place a plate of cookies on top. If she knew anything about Chat Noir, he wouldn’t be able to resist. 

Friday came very fast and the moment Marinette returned from school, she took her plan straight into action. Eager to see it through, by six o’clock she was finished. She managed to make a hiding spot that not even _Chat Noir_ would notice. She had bought new green yarn and formed an inconspicuous trip wire, right in front of the stool. If Chat even tried to approach the cookies, he would immediately fall. 

She smirked. She should get this on video. 

Right before the clock struck eight, Marinette was hiding and her phone was well hidden and recording. Chat Noir swung in, as she left her window open and immediately looked at the cookies in the center of the room. He looked around, most likely checking to see if Marinette was in the room, and then shrugged. 

Marinette watched as he got closer to the wire and just as she planned, he tripped and fell forward, knocking down the stool and the cookies. 

Marinette emerged from her hiding place with, of course, a Nerf gun. She started to spray his fallen body with water, and laughed triumphantly at his yelp. He scurried to the other side of the room, in an attempt to protect himself, while Marinette doubled over on the floor in laughter. 

“I got you so good, Chat!” she couldn’t help but release her laugh at his horrified expression.

“W-What? Princess?? Why?!” he actually looked _betrayed_.

That just made Marinette laugh more. “You really think I didn’t know it was you who was taking my stuff? You’re the only one who can access my balcony and get inside my room from the outside! You just didn’t cover your tracks well enough.” She crossed her arms, another win for Marinette.

He pouted. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have lurked.”

She made her way over to him, “Chat, you know that all you would have to do is ask, and I could probably have given you any of those things.”

Chat rubbed the back of his neck, “Y-Yeah, I dunno, it just made sense at the time to just go for it. And I shouldn’t have logged into your Disney+ account without asking you. If you need it, I can even buy you the yarn I took since… I kinda ruined it.”

She chuckled, “It’s okay, Chat, we’re okay,” she then smacked his arm, “just don’t do it again.”

He smiled and reached for her hand, laying a kiss on it, “Whatever the princess wants,” he looked up sheepishly, “So, uh, can I have a cookie now?”

Her parents really did wonder what all that laughter from Marinette’s room was caused by.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is soo cheesy but i love it :))


	5. Dare: "Hmmm... A Kiss Perhaps?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> um. it's still may. definitely. totally. *wink wink* ;0

Sleepovers with Alya were the best. They didn’t have to worry about sisters, homework, or parents. All that was on the agenda was to have fun. 

Since there was still no school the next day the girls were ready to pull an all-nighter that was full of gossip, nail-painting, movies, and games. 

Alya was absolutely terrible at painting her own nails, so Marinette took it upon herself to paint them for her. Of course, Alya wanted ladybug-patterned nails, which was easy enough. Marinette had planned to watch a movie while their nails dried, but her friend had other intentions. “How about a game of truth or dare instead?” she smirked.

Marinette froze. Alya’s truth or dare games always ended in disaster for someone. And there was no one else to push under the bus this time. With a tight smile, she agreed and then proceeded to play. 

The game started out simple at first, with the generic questions. Marinette tried avoiding taking any dares, even with Alya’s intimidating glares burning through her. Everything was going well enough that Marinette had hope to feel that maybe this game would be different. That is, until Chat Noir decided to drop by. 

The moment Marinette heard the familiar _tap, tap_ on the window, her heart dropped. Not tonight. Out of all nights, he chose _tonight_ to visit her?!

Alya looked towards the window. “What was that?”

Marinette pulled her shoulders back around. “N-Nothing! Come on, it’s my turn to pick!”

Alya pushed Marinette’s arms off and ran to the window. She pushed it opened while Marinette stomped behind her, pulling on her hair in stress. “Alya, this isn’t a good idea, we don’t know who-”

“Hello, princess! I-”

Chat Noir swung inside. He dropped directly in front of Alya, cutting on his sentence when he saw her. He looked wildly from Alya to Marinette watching the growing grin on Alya’s face and Marinette’s panicked expression. This was not good.

“Oh. H-hey, ladies! I was just, uh… dropping in to say hi?”

Marinette didn’t even realize it was possible for Alya’s smirk to grow wider. She recoiled when Alya turned and gave her an all-knowing look. “Marinette? Care to explain what one of Paris’ famous superheroes is doing in your room?”

Marinette paled. “Uh! Maybe? Later! C’mon, Alya, let’s continue the game!” She dragged Alya back in front of the chaise. Marinette gestured for Chat to escape back out of the window, but Alya turned just before, “Nuh-uh, kitty cat, get your butt over here.”

He slowly turned around. “Actually, I forgot I had a meeting with Ladybug!

It was almost as if Alyas’ stare saw right through him. He slumped and walked back over, sitting between the two girls. He tried to not seem uncomfortable, “So, what are we playing tonight girls?”

“Truth or dare. And it’s your turn Chat Noir. Truth or dare?”

Marinette’s heart sunk. Oh no. This was not good. This _definitely_ wasn’t going to end well for both of them. 

“Truth.” Good. He’s playing it safe. 

“What exactly are you doing here, Chat? You come around here often?”

And, of course, Alya went straight in for the kill. It took a few seconds for Chat to respond. 

“I know Marinette from an akuma attack. We had to work together to defeat the Evillustrator, so I got to know her a bit. I check up on her from time to time.”

Okay. That wasn’t too bad, he evaded any personal details so far. 

“Alright. Good enough for now. Marinette, truth or dare?” Of course she picked truth. 

“I overheard a certain pet name… Why does Chat Noir call you princess? Are you two that close?”

And there’s the blow. “Right. It’s just a nickname. We actually don’t know each other that well. Sometimes he’ll just drop in and we’ll talk for a bit and then he’ll be on his way.”

“Right, and somehow he ended up giving you a cute, endearing nickname? He even seemed like he was at home the way he swung in. Seems a little suspicious, no?”

Curse Alya and her reporter skills. “Oh, um,” she laughed definitely not suspiciously, “Chat just has a thing for funny nicknames! Just like his bad puns!”

“Bad? My puns aren’t bad! Princess, you wound me!” he feigned a wound. 

“Oh, you silly cat,” she reached over to boop his nose, “Just as dramatic as always.”

He gasped and continued to bicker with each other. What they didn’t notice was Alya, staring at them, yet again another smirk on her knowing face. These two _obviously_ had a thing for each other. 

“Okay, if you two lovebirds are done, maybe we should get a move on?” She was satisfied with both of their growing blushes and spouts of denial. “Chat, it’s your turn, pick one.”

Before he could, Marinette interrupted, “Wait, Alya but we haven’t gotten to ask you!”

“Well, I think you owe me the right to ask questions since you never told me about the boy who randomly sneaks in your room for secret rendezvous.”

Marinette muttered something incoherently, so Alya just accepted it as a win. She looked back at Chat expectantly. She was disappointed to hear that he picked the boring truth again. Internally, she sighed, she’ll take the slow burn route.

“How do you feel about Marinette? You two obviously have been around each other a lot more than you would like to admit. So is she just some girl you talk to?”

“W-What? No!” he spluttered. “Marinette’s amazing! She’s so creative and smart and kind! She stands up for what she believes in and I love that about her!”

Bingo. “Oh, you _love_ that about her? Gosh, really guys, it seems like you know each other a lot more than you said. What are you two hiding?”

“N-Nothing! Alya! No more questions, you know enough!”

Alya huffed. “Fine. No more questions? Then Marinette, it’s your turn, what dare should I give you?” she hummed. “Ah! I know. Since you and Chat Noir are so close, how about you give him a smooch?” 

Marinette’s heart stopped and Alya’s face grew evil. This was it. This was the disaster part. She glanced at Chat, who wouldn’t meet her eye, and even though it was hard to see in the light, she could’ve sworn he was blushing. 

“Alya, I don’t think that’s a very good idea. And, anyways, it’s too easy! Give me a hard one!”

Alya glared. Marinette shrunk timidly and hesitantly looked toward Chat Noir. There was no way she was getting out of this one. Chat made it seem as though he was unaffected by the situation but she knew him better. His tail was twitching wildly and he wouldn’t look her in the eye. He was as nervous as she was. Did that mean he didn’t want to kiss her? Technically he had before, but he didn’t know that. 

She sighed, glancing to Alya who continued to stand her ground. “Fine,” she saw Chat’s head whip around to look at her, “I’ll kiss him, but we are never speaking of this, or anything related to it ever again. Is that clear?”

“Deal. Now go on. Kiss the guy before he combusts.”

Marinette stared at Chat who was glancing at her and repeatedly looking away. She held her breath and marched up to him. She was going to make Alya pay later. 

She reached for Chat’s face and pulled his lips onto hers. His body stiffened and then relaxed and he deepened the kiss. Marinette was stunned by his arms wrapping around her waist. It was like everything else disappeared. It was just her and Chat in the room. A cloud grew around her brain and the kiss became passionate until-

It all screeched to a halt when Alya cleared her throat. The two teens thrust themselves away from each other with burning faces. Both thinking _what the hell just happened_. 

“Well, that looked like it was well-needed. I know I won’t hear a thank you but let me just say _you’re welcome_ ,” she stood up and dusted her hands off, “My work here is done. Marinette, darling, call me later, we have a lot to talk about.” And with that she picked up her stuff and left. 

So much for a sleepover. 

“Sorry.” 

Marinette whipped her head looking at Chat standing sheepishly near the chaise lounge. He whispered, “I didn’t mean to make a mess of your night. Or overstep. I’m sorry.”

Bewildered she replied softly, “It wasn’t your fault, you didn’t know Alya would be here or that she would make us do that,” she fiddled with her hands, “and I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it.”

Chat had to get closer to hear and he was stunned. She _liked_ it? But that couldn’t be. That would mean they both liked it. But they were just friends! Right?

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I liked it too,” he laughed when her eyes widened and winked, “we should do it again sometime.”

The blush that spread across her face made his heart stutter. He gazed at her nervous eyes and reached for her hand. She sighed as he brought it towards him to cradle his cheek. He shut his eyes, basking in the warm feeling she brought to his life. 

All of a sudden, her lips were pressed against his again, and both of them sank into the blissful moment. No distractions, no inquisitive best friends, just two superheroes falling madly in love with each other. They would figure it out eventually.

Yeah. Eventually.


End file.
